A Staten Island Christmas
by gigiseesdenver
Summary: How the family reacts/finds out..first time writing..ever..d/l..
1. Chapter 1

Lindsay was curled up in a ball at the foot of her bed staring out at the chunks of snow gently falling onto the New York City (okay Queens) Street. There was a soft glow from the multitude of multicolored Christmas lights as well as the streetlights outside. She could make out kids playing in the newly fallen snow. A snowman was being rolled and put together by a group of kids, while another group of little girls made snow angels, and several boys (including some fiesty little girls) began a snowball fight. She was quite content in the warmth of her bed, snuggled up just watching them and thinking.

Was this life growing inside her going to be a rambunctious little boy, pestering and teasing the girls with snowballs, or a little angel flooping into the snow and swimming for a minute in order to make the perfect wings of a snow angel? Yes, Lindsay Monroe was in a good place, one she didn't foresee herself in when that stick came back with a little pink plus sign.

She fell asleep to the thoughts of her child, and the man that had surprised her in so many ways, the man who made her life a living hell, the man that kept a watchful eye over her, the man who followed her to Montana, the man that made her fall, and fall hard. Only to catch her right as she was about to hit the bottom. He asked her to marry him, sure it wasn't the right time, but still, he asked, which was more than she thought she was going to get. Yes, Lindsay was done with glass half empty. Although, she did love the feeling when her low bar of expectations was met and doubled time and time again.

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It was around 6pm, and Danny Messer was searching the halls for his girlfriend, he hadn't seen her in hours, granted he was out in the field. Searching the labs and bull pen, he found nothing, until he ran into Mac Taylor shifting through some files.

"Mac, Any idea where Lindsay got to?"

" Yea, I sent her home around 4, she looked exhausted and it's been a light day, thought she could use the rest."

"Okay, thanks Mac, I'll a, I'll see you tomorrow." Danny called as he hurried off to the locker room to gather his belongings before wrapping up and jumping on a subway towards Lindsay's.

On the 7 train he noticed a woman with a small toddler, and one in the oven. Danny smiled as the toddler kept disobeying his mother's orders to sit still. The kid got up to stand on the seat to look out the window, and he played daredevil jumping and swinging around the car. The woman let out an exasperated sigh. "You are you're father's son."

At that Danny down right laughed. Between his misadventures as a child and all of Lindsay's tomboy antics, their kid was bound to hear that saying quite often. He smirk grew even more if that was possible, their kid. Wow who would have thought Danny Messer, a dad, and actually okay with it.

Danny let himself into Lindsay's apartment with the key she had given him a few months back. Her apartment was lit only by the glow of the Christmas tree she had put up, the soft glow slightly illuminating all that was necessary. The apartment was quiet which could only mean she had listened to Mac and was indeed sleeping.

He slipped his shoes and coat off at the door, and padded his way down the short hallway to her bedroom. Pushing the door open he saw her fast asleep at the foot of the bed facing the window. The woman had a thing with precipitation. Rain, snow, hail, whatever she loved it. But he got it, it was peaceful.

He slowly walked over to her bed and gently crawled in behind her, pulling her back to his chest. She snuggled in with a contented sigh. "You're home." she smiled.

"Yea I'm home." he repeated squeezing her a little tighter and placing a kiss at the base of her neck. "Have a nice nap?"

"I was until you woke me." she teased

'Sorry, go back to sleep sweetheart.' he whispered in her ear as he kissed the spot behind her ear, which illisted a moan from her. Lindsay turned around in his arms so they were now face to face.

'I have a better idea.' she said with sly smile as she wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a tended and lingering kiss to his lips. That kiss quickly advanced into something much much more as Danny wound his arms tighter around her small albeit rounding body pulling her closer and tighter to his body. The kiss deepened with dueling tounges, before they pulled away breathlessly.

'How you feeling?'

'Pretty good. Very good.' she smiled as she kissed him again. They lay their together for a little while just enjoying one anothers company watching the snow fall when Danny spoke again.

'So, Mac knows, Stella has very good reason to believe, does any one else know?' Danny asked as he gently rubbed her barely there baby bump.

'Adam saw me throwing up the other day, I told him it was just a bug.' she smiled.

'So our kid's a bug?'

'Hey, you're the one who bet I wouldn't eat them.' she smiled as she cuddled further into him.

'I guess it does fit.' he smirked as he pulled her closer and rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm her up. 'You tell your parents yet?'

'No,' she said sadly, 'I a, I wanted to know exactly where we stood before I told them anything. Knowing them they'd be asking about you.' she smiled.

'Any parent would want to know about the father.'

'I do love you by the way.' she said kissing the under side of his jaw

'I love you too.' he smiled down at her and captured her lips in another seering kiss.

'Why do you ask?' she questioned as they broke away from the kiss.

'Just trying to figure out how I'm gonna tell my ma.'

'What you can't be straight forward: I knocked up my girlfriend.' she laughed.

'Linds, you are so much more than that, and I did not knock you up.'

'Oh please, you did.'

'That makes this kid sound, well not loved.' he broke off looking at her, 'You are having my kid, you were not knocked up.' he said pointedly. She simply laughed,

'Okay. I'm having your, our baby, our kid.' she laughed.

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'So, Linds, what are you doing for christmas?' Danny asked as they manuvered around the kitchen making dinner.

'Um I work Christmas day, I'm off Christmas eve, why?' she asked looking up from the bubbling pasta sauce.

'Come to Staten Island with me?' he asked/stated. Lindsay laughed

'Why?'

'Why not, what's the point spending Christmas alone, I love you, come meet my ma, she'll love ya, then will give her a grandkid.' he smirked.

'You have it all planned out there Danny?'

'Yea sort of.' he said as he turned and boxed her into the counter. 'Please, don't make me face them alone.'

'Aw Dan, you love your mother, and her cooking, you make it sound like its pulling teeth.'

'Well…'

'Danny!'

'I'm just saying, I want them to meet you, to meet the mother of my kid.'

'You like saying that don't you?'

'What?'

'My kid, our kid.' She smirked

'I guess so. So will you come?'

'Yea Danny, I'll come.' she smiled.

'Good. Now the pasta's ready, how's the sauce?'


	2. Chapter 2

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The streets were snowy, well that's an understatement, the whole of New York was buried under snow. It just kept accumulating. 5 inches here, 10 inches there, oh and wait another 8 inches here. It was insane, and for some reason the murder rate seemed to fall, that or no one was venturing out therefore couldn't find the dead bodies. Anyway, the world was white and Danny and Lindsay were headed off to his parent's home on Staten Island.

No matter how many times Danny assured Lindsay that his parents would love her she still felt uneasy. Here she was a complete stranger being brought to their house for Christmas dinner, and oh by the way your son knocked me up. Well okay, they had agreed that Lindsay was not knocked up. But still, surprise surprise. The thing was Lindsay was starting to show, and she really didn't want it to be that noticable the minute they walked in the door.

Lindsay had gone with Navy blue, a dress, or shirt, whatever they are that was fit ontop but fluttery on bottom. Thank god styles had changed to a place where empire waists were worn by everyone. She paired that simply with a pair of black leggings and flats, as heels, with the ice and snow New York was currently experiencing could only mean disaster for her and her baby. She even went and curled her hair, something she hadn't done in close to a year. But what the hay. Danny matched, although not intentionally with a dark blue shirt that made his eyes even deeper pools and black pants. It was strange. They were acting like a married couple. Getting ready around one another in her apartment. A brush of an arm here, a kiss there. Lindsay was gorgeous in Danny's eyes, and if his mother wouldn't kill him, he would blow her off just to spend the whole day alone with Lindsay.

But Ma had said_ 'You are coming to dinner Christmas Eve. No if's ands or buts.'_ Which was a saying he was quite used to, having grown up around it. But then he asked his mother if he could bring his girlfriend, and well, all bets were off. _'You bring that girl here, you hear me. I want to meet this woman who has captured your heart.'_

'_How do you know she has my heart ma?_' Danny joked to his mother on the phine a few days prior.

'_Daniel, would you offer to bring her home if she didn't?'_ she had asked back, she knew her youngest son too well. (_He was a goodboy at heart, just hadn't found the matching one yet. That was until about 3 years ago when some co-worker came into the picture. He had called her oh what was it Montana? If she was the one he was bringing by, she could skip the Christmas prayer because her dreams would be answered. Did he finally find someone to settle down with? A mother could only hope.)_

By the time they were able to leave the roads were slick with more falling snow, it ended up taking twice as long to get to the island. And was even slower going as the hit the small roads that led to Danny's parent's house. The streets hadn't been cleared and even a department issued SUV was having some trouble getting through some of the drifts. Lindsay had tried to stay awake, but after about 30 minutes was fighting to keep her eyes open. After 40 minutes she finally gave into Danny's advice to just nap, he'd wake her when they were a few minutes away.

And sure enough, he nudged her as he was stopped at a light, though he hated to do it. She looked so peaceful when she slept. She quickly checked her make-up and smoothed out her hair before glancing at Danny, who happened to be watching her with amusement.

'What?'

'Nothing, you're just cute when you're nervous.'

'Yea just don't add to it this time.' She smirked back. Remembering the beginning.

'And what do you mean by that?' he asked back his voice laced with humor.

'The tiger cage Messer, you and your need to embarrass me. _Make sure you call him sir._ If you pull that shit today I swear to god I will make the rest of this pregnancy a nightmare for you.' She playfully threatened. Danny snorted out the laughter he had been trying to contain. But silenced as best he could as she glared at him. 'You think I'm joking?'

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They pulled into the Messer's drive. It was a quiant two story yellow house on a tree lined street with a stone façade surrounding the first floor. There were the multicolored big bulbed 'old-timer' Christmas lights following the roof line and on the bushes in front of the picture window that made up most of the front of the house. In the picture window, the Messer Family Christmas tree glowing with more of the big bulbs, and was framed in the picture window with the smaller multicolored. (Well those were in all the windows.) The house was slightly dimmer than the houses on either side of it with their bright white icicle lights, but the Messer house: Now that had character.

They pulled up behind two other cars already in the drive. The first was the Messer Sedan followed by a blue pickup truck that was labeled Messer Awenings and Canopies, followed by a very large department issued NYPD SUV.

Danny stepped out into the cold then rushed around to help Lindsay out of the car. She took his offered hand to help her out of the SUV and onto the icy drive. He went to move around to grab the presents and things out of the back of the SUV, but Lindsay did not let go of his hand. Much like way back in the courtroom in Bozeman. Danny swung around to her, and looked in her eyes, she was nervous, and happy, and they both leaned in for a kiss: this time there weren't and journalists and photographers around to ruine the moment.

The kiss lingered for a moment before Danny pulled away, cupping the side of her face Danny's thumb stroked her cheek. 'It's okay babe, they will love you, probably more than they love me.'

She leaned into his hand, it was warm against the nip of the air. She smiled as a calm took over her. Danny had to be just as nervous. For as far as she knew, Danny never, never brought a woman home to meet his parents. None had lasted long enough to be introduced. Danny grabbed the big Macy's bag of gifts and handed Lindsay the bottle of wine before grabbing her spare hand in his and leading her up the steps to the front door.

They stood on the stoop for a second just looking at the wreathed front door. Danny glanced at Lindsay and rolled back onto his heels then to his toes and back again. 'You ready for this Linds?' he asked, still uncertain himself. This was unchartered waters for him, and well, the Messers could be a handful. She squeezed his hand and nodded with a smile, she was ready when he was. Danny quickly cleared his throat, and opened the door.

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**A/N: I wrote this stuff before christmas, the family, I keep rewriting, but hopefully, something will stick and soon…Thanks for all the reviews…hope you enjoy… =)**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Kinda forgot on the other two oops: Um yea, don't own the characters that's all cbs, well you know the csi:ny gang: the rest is just a figment of my imagination.

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Warmth and comfort were the two things felt the moment they walked into the foyer of the Messer home. The smell of fish and pasta hanging in the air and wafting where ever possible. It was homey and warm, much like her family home. There was clattering in the kitchen and coversation and between two very animated women. In the living room to the left came snores and the voice of George Baily: '_Dontcha know me Mary?_'

"Ma, we're here." Danny called as he helped Lindsay off with her coat and hung them on the same spicket. The conversation abruptly stopped. There was an even louder clanging in the kitchen, something had to have been dropped, followed by "Maria! The fish."

"Oh Reda, there is no reason why you can't watch the food for a second." Came the response from a short blonde woman that walked out of the kitchen, she couldn't be any taller than 5'2". She had the same bright blue eyes as Danny, and the same although slightly smaller nose. She was wiped her hands on the well-worn ponsetta apron around her waist she was using to protect the red dress she was wearing. The woman's eyes lit up as she saw Danny. "Danny, my bambino!" she said grabbing his face and kissing him on his cheek. She stepped away and looked Lindsay up and down, "Now you must be Lindsay." The woman smiled as she grabbed Lindsay's face as well and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Danny, has told us so much about you, but he never mentioned how beautiful you are, my god, you are glowing. You don't lose her." She said playfully slapping Danny upside the head. He had leaned back on his heels as he watched the scene unfold. He laughed at his mother and then pulled Lindsay into his side. "Believe me Ma, this one ain't getting away." He said as he placed a kiss to her hair.

"Thank you Mrs. Messer, and thank you for opening up your home to.."

"Nonsense honey, I've been telling Danny for years to bring people by, the more the merrier, and please call me Maria, I'm not a fan of Mrs. Messer: brings me back to the days of getting phone calls from teachers about the boys, that and my mother-in-law was an old hag." Danny and Lindsay both laughed. "You think I'm joking Danny, that woman was cancer. Glad shes…"

"Don't say it Ma." Danny laughed. "It's too holy of a day."

"Yea, Yea, well, Lindsay my dear, be glad the old bat hasn't left her nursing home in years." Danny rolled his eyes, yea his grandmother could be a mean little old woman, but the dislike his mother had for her was adequate for all the shit she put his mother through. There was another loud clattering from the kitchen. "_Fuck that hurts, shit, MARIA!"_

Maria Messer's head whirled around to the sound in the kitchen. Then shook her head. "Reda, I swear, you can't even boil water can you?" Maria called as she walked back into the kitchen to start to clean up the probable mess.

Lindsay looked at Danny and he simply smiled at her, surpressing a laugh. "Yea." He said rocking back onto his heels again, "Aunt Reda has some issues cooking, in the fact that she can't cook to save her life." He laughed. "But ask her to sew and you'd be impressed." Danny took Lindsay's hand and led her into the living room to the left of where they were standing in the foyer.

The room had to be something out of a christmas movie. The Christmas tree stood at the front of the room, framed brightly by the window lit with small multicolored twinkle lights. The tree had big bulbs, and the typical red, green, blue, and yellow, glass globe ornaments, scattered with a strong mixture of other ornaments, there were baseball bats, and gloves, baby's first christmas, a few popsical stick ornaments, but one caught Lindsay's attention. It was a plastic globe with glitter inside of it with a picture at the center. It was a picture of a little blonde boy of about 4 hugging a teddy bear, his eyes big bright and blue staring at the camera and a thumb in his mouth. Lindsay leaned in to look closer. "This you Dan?" she asked as he came up to her.

"uh, yea."

"You were such a cutie." She smirked as she grabbed his nearly nonexistant love handles in an attempt to make him squirm.

"Aright Montana. I was a cute whatever." He laughed as he pulled her in for a real hug, also moving her arms out of the way of his sides in an effort to stop the tickling. They pulled away and Lindsay took in the rest of the room. There was garland over the fireplace which was currently burning bright, stockings hung on either side labeled Daddy, Mommy, Louie, and Danny, with hand prints in paint on each one, a craft project from long ago: elementary school by the size of Danny's tiny little hand. Lindsay's eyesight drifted to a man sleeping in a big red chair facing the tv. He let out a loud snort that made Danny laugh. "That's Uncle Tony. The guy always falls asleep before dinner." Danny shook his head. He placed a hand on the small of her back and directed her through the dining room, which had a table needing to be set, and into the kitchen where his mother was frying fish, and Aunt Reda, a round woman with dark hair, was peeling potatoes. "Lindsay this is my Aunt Reda."

"Nice to meet you sweetie, but be warned this one is a trouble maker." Reda said pointing the tip of the potatoe peeler at Danny.

"Oh I know." Lindsay responded with a shit eating grin on her face. "but the guy has his good points."

"Good points, Aunt Reda, in I can actually cook, can't I sweetheart."

"Makes a mean omlette." Lindsay agreed

"and…"

"And, Danny, how many take out menus do you have in you're apartment?"

"Too much of a good thing Montana." Danny winked as he stole a piece of fish from the plate next to his mother, just missed her swatting spatula, and took a seat at the table popping the fish into his mouth.

His mother shot him a glare, but there was still that twinkle in her eye. Her Danny had come home. This was how life was suppose to be, not all that nonsense the boys got into during high school. Lindsay walked over to Danny and perched herself on his knee as he wrapped his arms around her, carful not to expose the bump too early.

"So Lindsay, where are you from?" Aunt Reda asked as she looked up from the potato she was peeling.

"Bozeman." Lindsay stated "Montana, as Danny likes to point out." She said squeezing his knee.

"Yea, I was gonna ask about that nickname." Maria said turning around, and looking at the couple sitting in the breakfast nook.

"Danny had trouble remembering my name when I first started working at the lab."

"No I didn't." Danny rolled his eyes. "I simply found a way to rattle your cages."

"Whatever, I don't think he called me Lindsay until about 3 months in."

"Yea, but admit it, you love it."

"Well, only you really call me it anymore, Hawkes did once last year, but it was wrong."

"You tell him that."

"No."

"and why not?" he jokingly demanded

"Because I missed hearing it." Lindsay blushed but also looked Danny straight in the face so that he knew, that he would get it. At least when it happened. By the change in the look of his eyes she knew. It was the sorry face, that face that followed her for 2 months as he tried to get her not to keep loving him. "Don't worry Dan, it's better." She whispered in his ear before placing a light kiss to his lobe. He hugged her tighter, then relaxed. He got her back, for the most part.

Lindsay got up and offered to help with dinner, and event that had her peeling carrots, and Danny setting the table. "Oh sure give her the easy job." Danny had complained/teased as Lindsay laughed and Maria threw a dishtowel at her son. "Get, we have 13 coming. And do it right, I don't want to have to redo it."

The women had talked for near half an hour, getting to know Lindsay and Lindsay them. Danny came in as he finished the table, and started helping Lindsay cut veggies for the crudite.

The room was full of laughter and chatter, just 3 women picking on Danny, and there was really no escaping it. After one pitiful attempt at humor from his aunt he rolled his eyes and looked out the window. Coming into the yard was an old Harley with an older man on it. Grey hair, and a Messer grin. A few seconds later the side door creaked open and slammed closed. "Tony, what you doin sleepin already! Get up ya fat lump." He said as he walked into the kitchen handed Maria a bottle of wine, and kissed her before turning to the nook. "Ah, you must be Lindsay. Sal Messer, nice to finally put a face with the name." Lindsay smiled, "Likewise."

"Danny boy, how's life?" Sal asked taking a piece of green pepper.

"You just met her, you tell me Pops" Danny smirked.

"Well then, you're doing well." He winked back at Lindsay. "Now who wants some wine!?"

"Don't have to ask twice there Sal." Tony said as he walked in and patted Danny on the shoulder. He took a glass from Sal, and then turned to Lindsay. "Danny's girl huh? You're cute. Lindsay right."

"Yea." Lindsay laughed. "Nice to meet ya, Uncle Tony right."

"Yup, would you like some wine? Sal knows how to pick the good stuff."

"No, I'm good for now, but thanks."

"Don't drink? You're gonna want to when the rest of this family gets here."

"That's for sure." Danny said taking a swig of beer. "Family gatherings are better when you have a drink or two in ya." He smiled and winked at Lindsay, oh she would drink if she could. Lindsay turning down a glass of wine was like a fat kid going jogging. It was a rarity.

A few moments later there was banging of car doors from the street, a lot of yelling, that only grew louder as the front door swung open. "Maria? Sal? We're here."

"In the kitchen." Maria called out. As the door banged closed and people started pouring into the kitchen. … … … …


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, not danny not lindsay not clark griswald…

**A/N:** I don't know why but I like elaborating on the family I've made up in my head with CBS's help, so just go with it, hopefully it all makes sense.

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A group of 5 walked into the kitchen followed by a lot of introductions, hugs and kisses. There was Maria's brother Nick, his wife Annette, there daughter Karen, her husband Stephan, and their son Kyle. The house was louder than ever, with 11 Italians drinking wine and talking over one another.

They had moved. Or were shoved into the living room by Maria. "Too many cooks, out all of you out. You'll ruin the fish."

So there they sat Danny his arm slung around Lindsay, his Karen was next to Lindsay, and somehow Stephan had slipped in too. Sal was sitting back in the big recliner, which Danny had told her was bunny ear quoted ""His chair."" Nick was on the floor with his grandson of about 5 playing with cars. Tony had stepped outside for a smoke, one of the last smokers in the family, and Annette was helping with dinner as was Reda, or at least she was trying. It was christmas loud and noisey, the show om the television had been flipped to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, so the occasional obsinity and laughter could be heard from time to time. Poor Kyle's ears were quickly covered up when Clark went into his rage: '…_I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, fore-fleshing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is. Hallelujah. Holy shit. Where's the Tylenol?_

The whole room started laughing and Kyle looked around confused but just kept playing with his cars. "Imagine Mac saying that about Sinclaire." Danny whispered in Lindsay's ear, causing her to burst out laughing.

"That's an image." Lindsay said as she calmed down slightly. "Think Adam, could choke it out too." To that Danny definitely laughed. The poor guy was still in the lab for the time being, but in a few months, who knows, and it's all because of Sinclaire and his political gain.

"He would be choking it out. The guy is leaving Pheonix behind as much as you have left Montana behind." He eyed her up and down, she was beautiful, could he think that enough. Sitting there with his family, which actually seemed to be behaving themselves, she fit. She fit into his life like his hand fit into that baseball glove at age seven. She was perfect. His eyes glanced to her abdomin for a second and he smiled. His mother was going to flip, his father for probably would too, as Danny looked over to see Slavador Messer on the floor participating in a high speed matchbox car chase with Kyle. Every one loved that little boy, he was the first of the new generation of Messers.

"How is that little Bug he knows about doing?" He asked her quietly.

"He's good, Happy." She whispered back before she kissed him lightly on the lips. Danny's smile grew bigger and to that same funny expression he got when he was amused by something.

"Now it's he? What happened to she?"

"Nothing, just right now it feels like a he." She shrugged, wanting to turn the conversation she didn't want to give anything away too early and they were in a room surrounded by Danny's family.

"Whatever floats your boat Linds." He said pulling her closer in a hug, and also because Kyle had come to sit between Lindsay and his mommy.

"Mommy, Uncle Sal says real police cars have bars and walkie talkies in them! Is that right Mommy?" The little boy asked. His eyes staring into his mothers.

"I don't know honey, but you know, Uncle Danny is a police man, why don't you ask him." She nodded to Danny who was smiling, having watched the interaction. The little boy climbed down from his spot next to his mother and jogged over to Danny who promptly picked him up and plopped him in his lap. "Uncle Danny, do they REALLY?!" He asked again.

"Yea buddy, yea they do."

"Are you really a real police man uncle Danny?"

"Yes I am. So is Lindsay." Danny nodded over to the woman watching them. Kyle looked at Lindsay, then shook his head.

"No Uncle Danny, she's a girl. Only boy's can be police mans." He clarified for Danny.

"I think girls can be police." Lindsay teased the little boy.

"No they can't its police Man, like big boys all growned up. You a growned up girl."

"But I can be a police Woman. Like a girl all grown up." Kyle looked confused and stretched so he could see his mom.

"Is that true mommy? Can girls be police?"

"Yea Ky, they can, Lindsay is, she even works with dead people." His mother told him, after all, mommy's are all knowing.

"LIKE ZOMBIES!!!! LIKE SCOOBY DOO!?" He asked perking up and looking back and forth between Danny and Lindsay his eyes bugging up.

"Kinda." Danny said. "but we also get to do experiments like they do on Sid the Science Kid."

"WOW. I want your job! When I growed up." Kyle exclaims as his father, Stephan groans.

"Kyle, bud, no fireman for you?" he asks

"No daddy, fire burns. It hurts me." He said holding up his bandaged pointer finger. Which he shows Lindsay. "The candle licked me and it hurt and got big and red and stung and mommy ran it under really cold water for a long time. But it still thumps." He told her.

"And did mommy kiss it to make it better?" Lindsay asked

"Uh huh, and it worked, but then it hurt again."

"Well maybe mommy has to kiss it again. Or daddy, if daddy's a fireman he really knows how to make burns feel better. Doesn't he?"

As they greeted eachother earlier in the day the 'Great Debate,' as Maria called it, began: Police v Fire, Danny v. Stephan. It wasn't so much as a fight as a slue of joking comments thrown back and forth between the two men. They got along amazingly in a banterfilled compitition that seemed eerily similar to Danny and Lindsay in the early early days. A lot of one upping. But when it came down to it they both had respect for the other.

"yea he does, Daddy was on the news you know that. He saved a little girl from a fire!" he said hopping off of Lindsay's lap that he had manuvered into and ran over to his father. "Daddy, can you kiss it make it bette?" Kyle asked holding a hand up to his father's lips.

"Sure buddy." Stephan whispered before kissing the little boy's finger and pulling him into a hug.

"Maybe I want to be a fireman too." Kyle said as his father released him from the embrace. A smile graced his lips, and he gave a thankful nod to Danny. Kyle had been a miracle baby, and to follow in Stephan's footsteps as Stephan had followed in his father's was something that Stephan hopped would happen in the future, although he would never admit it. Karen would kill him. Her boy was going to be in a safe job where he wouldn't get hurt.

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Lindsay excused herself, tha bathroom was calling. When she left she ran into old photos hung nicely up on the wall. Lindsay was engulfed, was her little boy going to look like this toe-headed, blue eyed, kid smiling at her, his eyes still twinkling behind specticals. Or would it look like the pictures her parents had up of her deep brown eyes, and light brown hair, or would it be a mixture.

The pictures themselves told a story. There were two school picture circles, the kind where you see just how much a person changes in 12 years. Danny was a brighty smiling kid in kindergarden, no glasses, hair in a crew cut, and a 1000 watt smile, even little dimples he seemed to have out grown. That turned into a slightly sulky skinny kid with aviator glasses in the 4th grade. Then into a gangly kid with thick black fraames with a black eye in the 7th grade. In highschool he seemed to find his own, lost the glasses for, bulked up a little, a prelude to what was coming in another 12 years.

Other pictures included Danny and his brother covered in mud in a fishing boat, playing football with the old man, a few of Danny in a baseball uniform. And then of course the communion photograph. There Danny sat his hair slicked back, in a white little tuxedo and a white tie, his hands pressed together to pray. He looked so innocent, and yet so guilty. It was as she leaned into that picture to get a closer look that Danny found her.

"So the pictures ropped ya in huh Linds?"

"What, oh yea." Lindsay blushed.

"Was wondering what you got to, now what are you looking at?" He asked as he leaned over her shoulder to get a look. "Oh God, not the communion photo."

"Gotta hand it to ya Dan, not all guys can handle a white suit. And wow, who knew your hair could do that." She teased.

"Yea yea laugh it up. Either I had to slick it back for the day or my ma was buzzing it. That was not a good look for me."

"Oh, I don't know, I think the crew cut was cute." She said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him in for a hug.

"If you say so Linds, but if we have a boy, no way in hell am I letting you do that to the poor kid." He said softly into her ear causing her to giggle as he pulled her deeper into the hug. There was a brief gust of wind to Danny's back as the door opened. Then closed. Lindsay had felt it against her face and looked up to see a face she had only seen in person once before.

Danny pulled out of the hug and turned around to greet the newest arrival, but froze in place at the sight. Louie. "Louie?" he looked up at the sight his brother with his arm wrapped around the small frame of a take-home-to-mom type of girl and laughed. Who woulda thunk it.

"Hey Dan, guess by that question ma didn't tell ya I was coming." Louie smirked. "She actually does listen, ha, good to see ya, now who's your friend, or do I have ta introduce myself." He laughed.

"Sorry, Lou, it's just been a while since I heard from ya, this is my grilfriend Lindsay. Lindsay you remember Lou."

"Remember, don't think I've met the likes of a girlfriend this pretty Dan." Louie said as he winked at Lindsay.

"No, not formally." Lindsay smiled. "I a, I work with Danny, so a couple of years ago…" Lindsay trailed off, she didn't like bringing up the subject of her friends murders around her family back in Montana, she wasn't really sure Danny or any Messer wanted to remember THOSE few weeks either (those weeks Louie was beaten to a pulp), especially on a day like today.

"You're Montana." Louie said as he discovered why this woman held such a tie on Danny's heart. It was a connection he saw as soon as he opened the door on the embraced couple. Danny and Louie had spent a good day talking when he finally came to a few days after the beating, by then Danny had been cried out, and ready to mive on with life. The brothers had moved ever so slightly past the wall that had crumbled when Danny had heard the copy of the tape Lindsay had brought him. Louie had spent another week or two in recovery before packing up and leaving New York, his past had almost killed him, it was time to get out and start a future so he took a job in Boston and had been there for the last two and a half years. He and Danny talked occasionally, but not often, and never about anything as big as the girlfriends that actually stuck around. Louie did however know about Montana, she was the one Danny had talked about that day in the hospital, the woman he swore he wasn't falling for.

"Yea, yea I am."

"Well Danny, so much for not falling for her." Louie winked as he slapped Danny on the back with the paper he had brought in from outside. "Ma, your first born is home." Louie called out into the kitchen as Danny and Lindsay stared at each other for a second.

"So you weren't gonna fall for me." Lindsay teased.

"I was in denile."

"I'd say. So what made you change your mind there Messer?" She asked as she stepped closer,

"Think it was a combination of things, all starting with when you rambled off sports stats."

"Oh, the first proposal." Lindsay smirked as Danny wrapped his arms around her.

"Told ya, it was a dangerous thing." He said as he placed a kiss to her forehead. They stood like that for a second until they heard Maria call "Dinner."

"Guess we were waiting on Louie to get here." Danny smirked as he grabbed Lindsay's hand and led her into the dining room for dinner…


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **oh how I wish I owned more than the plot, but sadly I do not.

**A/N:** This is a long one: 10 pages on Word. Also, A lot of people, it might get confusing but I hope not, trying ot finish this story quickly as the holiday season is just about over…Here's the moment you've all been waiting for…or is it??

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Danny took Lindsay's hand and led her to the diningroom where he practiced the manners his mother had taught him and pulled out her chair for her. He kissed the top of her head, grabbed both his and her wine glasses and headed into thekitchen only to appear back in the dining room a few minutes later with two glasses of deep maroon liquid. Danny took a sip of one, and put it in front of his plate, before placing the other in front fo Lindsay. "Danny." She whispered.

"It's cranberry Linds, just thought it would divert some not drinking questions."

"Thank you." She smiled taking a sip.

"Lindsay, finally giving into the family tradition of drinking." Uncle Nick laughed as he downed his 3rd glass.

"Guess I can only withstand the likes of you for some long there Nicky." Lindsay laughed as she took another sip of her _juice._

"Well well well, we got a snapper on our hands." Nick laughed loudly "Guess ya need to be to keep Danny boy in line."

"Aw, I don't know about that." Lindsay said softly

"Please." Louie interjected. "This kid would fly off the handle bars with the littlest push." Louie stated taking a big bite out of a dinner roll that sat near him.

"LOUIS." Maria scolded him. "I raised you right and you should knkow better than to eat before we sat grace."

"Grace, she died 30 years ago." Tony piped in.

"That, was lame, Ton, even for you." Sal said shaking his head at his brother. "just don't even try."

A bread crumb chunk flew across the table. "Stephan! What are you teaching your son!" Annette yelled as Kyle flung another chunk of bread at his father's open mouth.

"What's he teaching our son?" Karen asked as she walked in carrying a bowl of carrots. She caught her son's eye right as he was about to let another piece go. "Kyle, what did I tell you about throwing food." She scolded.

"To not to." He said as he rebeled a flung another piece at his dad who caught it with his hand and threw it into his mouth and threw an innocent look at his wife.

"Good lord, there are too many men in this family." She sighed. As she plopped down into the chair next to Kyle's booster and taking the bread away from the child. "Lindsay, please stick around for awhile, I need you to help balance out the status quo." She pleaded. Danny looked over at Lindsay and laughed together.

"Oh, I don't think I'm going anywhere for awhile." She smiled, "You've got an alli if you need it Karen."

"Big mistake Monroe." Danny teased. "Kar, has a tendency to lose her fights." Danny smirked. Karen swiftly picked up the bread Kyle had been throwing and chucked the full thing at Danny's head, hitting him square between the eyes. He stared into her. "And you wonder where your son gets it." Danny said taking a bite of the bread.

"Daniel. I told you no food until we say grace." Maria shouted over the rumble of conversation in the overstuffed dining room as she reentered with mashed potatoes and peas and carrots.

"Ma, I believe you told Louie that." Danny said glancing over at his brother who had a carrot half in his mouth. "See he sets a great example." Danny winked.

"Louis!"

"What, Ma, come on we're starving here, and Danny mind your own business, who knew you could see without your glasses."

"Yea, Dan I was meaning to ask you, what happened to the glasses?" Aunt Reda piped in. "You always looked so smart when you wore them."

"You mean geeky, nerdy, like a kiss ass." Louie summarized. To which Lindsay snorted. Danny gave her a glare.

"Yea yea laugh it up Montana." Danny said under his breath, as he placed a hand on her knee under the table.

"Seriously Dan, where are the glasses, you looked better with them on, they hid your face." Louie joked again.

"Yea real funny Lou, tell me eaten any hot peppers lately." Danny smirked. As he leaned over to tell Lindsay the story. "Back when we were kids, Louie went into Ma's garden and grabbed what he thought was a carrot. Poor kid bit into a hot red pepper, cried so loud the neighbors called the cops over. He was in the neighborhood police blotter the next week. 'Police investigated domestic disturbance at 843 Tanglewood Drive, Child bit into hot pepper.'" Danny laughed as he finished. "The poor neighbors thought he was dying."

"Oh, poor Louie." Lindsay sympathetically laughed. "So you can't even eat a pepper anymore?"

"Yea, Yea, so what, Your little boyfriend over there tried to give himself a hair cut when he was 8 to avoid Ma buzzing it again. A snow blower could do a better job. Poor kid had the crew cut all through the 3rd grade."

"Crew cuts have there benefits." Lindsay smiled. "I'm sure all the girls were rubbing your hair, huh Dan?" she asked as she played with the hair at the back of his head.

"Eh, they all had cooties." Louie joked. "His head was infested."

"Cooties!" Kyle shouted. "Girls have Cooties, but I got my cootie shot!" The whole table started laughing as Maria came into the room a final time now with platters of fish. She finally sat down probably the first time all day.

"Alright, we ready to eat?" Sal asked. Glanceing at his wife next to him. "Maria if you would do the honors."

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Maria started as the rest of the family followed and put their heads down in prayer, clasping hands around the table. "___Loving Father, we thank You for the family gathered around the table, the friends who extend your goodness, the food which nourishes our bodies and the Faith that strengthens our souls. Keep us ever mindful of these blessings, and may this food inspire us to bring these blessings to those who go without family, friends, food and faith. We ask all of this through Christ our Lord. Amen." She finished with the sign of the cross, as did the rest of the table before they all dug into the feast infront of them. _

___******************************************************************************_

After everyones plates were full, the conversation turned from "Please pass the potatoes" to "There is no way in hell that Penn State can win the Rose Bowl." Then to Louie and how he was doing out in Boston.

"Not bad Pop's." he nodded inbetween bites of mashed potatoes. "Got a decent apartment, sometimes I'm living paycheck to paycheck, but life's good."

"Know that feeling." Danny said as he shoveled in some carrots.

"Yea but Danny, look at the girl you got with ya." Louie nodded over to Lindsay. "Linds, so I know nothing bout cha. So how bout it?"

"How bout what Lou?" Lindsay asked as she took another sip of her cranberry juice disguised as wine.

"Who are ya besides a snapper that keeps Danny on his toes. I mean Stephan over there is a 4th generation firefighter from Queens, Born and raised Mets and Jets fan, that plays hockey, I know all this about my cousins husband, but know nothing bout my brother's girlfriend." Ha asked as he took a bite of another dinner roll. The guy could pack away the food.

"We know you, and like you as a person, now who are you?" Sal asked nudging Lindsay who was sitting next to him.

"Put me on the hot seat why don't ya." Lindsay laughed. "Okay." She started thinking. "I was born and raised on a ranch in Bozeman, Montana. Have 3 older brothers, am a 49's fan, a Yankees fan, played softball in high school, moved out here when a job opened in the crime lab, and currently live in Queens." She summarized her life.

"You're a 49er's fan, Lindsay. Comeon."

"What, Montana doesn't have a team, and really the 49er's are better than the Seahawkes."

"I'll give ya that. But still the Giants." Louie pleaded

"There's nothing, fine okay yes Little Manning is good but come on." Lindsay said laughing.

"Believe me Lou, you don't want to get to deep into football trivia with Montana, she'll literally kick your ass." Danny laughed.

"ass." Kyle said from across the table.

"Danny!" Karen scolded.

"Sorry Kar, the kid repeats everything."

"Yea, I know watch what you say."

"Aright aright." Danny said raising his hands in surrender.

Dinner finished up with more bickering, this time though more among the older generation as Aunt Reda nagged Uncle Tony about unbuttoning his pants at the table, and Annette scolded Nick for teaching Kyle how to fart with his armpit, along with Maria and Sal argueing over who would walk the dog and who would clean the dishes. Which left Danny and Lindsay to have their own little silent conversations of gestures and whispered words. Going over the right-ish words to say, and what-not.

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In the end the women ended up cleaning the dishes, while the guys set up the presents in the Living room, and Sal and Danny took Kyle and the little dog that had been locked upstairs out for a walk. Everything was set up and ready. Lindsay was sitting on the little love seat nursing a cup of tea and talking with Karen about sorority stories, (turns out they were in the same sorority, just different schools, essentially making them sisters already) when Danny walked in with the little dog that so resembled him causing Lindsay to laugh. "Geeze Messer. I heard the stories but you really do look like the dog."

"Haha, Ma's way of having something that looked like Louie and around."

"Speak for yourself Danny, that rat looks nothing like me." Louie snorted.

"If you say so Lou, now Linds, Stella or Hawkes? Which one's ass do I gotta kick?"

"Hawkes, but good luck with that." Lindsay winked.

"Danny get that dog upstairs." Sal told his youngest son as he carried a shivering Kyle in. "Your Aunt's allergic."

"Yea Dad, I'm on it." He said as he glanced at Lindsay and tilted his hgead for her to follow. She did so rising off the couch and following Danny up to the small blue room that screamed young Danny in all the baseball memorabilia, and music stuffs. Danny unleashed the dog as he shut the door and sat down next to Lindsay on what was his childhood bed.

"You getting nervous Dan?" Lindsay asked as she played with the hairs at the back of his neck.

"Yea, just a little." He sighed. "My ma, loves you, and my dad. When we were out there with the mutt he kept telling me not to screw this up."

"Dan, I think we've both done enough to screw this up and somehow we keep coming back together." She said softly "about 3 years Dan, that's how long we've known eachother, and you know what, in the beginning I genuinely despised you." She smiled as her turned his head in surprise. "but I don't know, for some silly reason I fell in love with you."

"Good." He smirked

"Good? That's all I get?"

"Hey I wanted to hate you, you made it impossible."

"I try." She shrugged.

"Seriously Linds, why did you get under my skin."

"I don't know. You pulled my pigtails and I pushed back."

"I think Mac knew this would happen when he hired you." Danny stated as he turned to look Lindsay in the eyes.

"What that we would have sex ou your pool table then a year and a half later end up pregnant?" Lindsay joked.

"Haha, no. He said something to me, about 4 months before you transferred. About falling in love."

"And?…"

"And then he goes and he hires you. I don't know the man knows everything, I wouldn't put it past him to bring in a woman he knew I would fall in love with just to make a point." Danny laughed.

"So you fell in love with me." Lindsay smiled.

"Sweetheart you know I did. I love you, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I didn't." He said placing his forehead against hers and cupping her face. "I'm gonna hear it from my ma in a few minutes, about not marrying you."

"You asked, it's me." Lindsay said kissing him softly. "Baby steps Dan, and we're taking them. I love you, but I want to marry you for the right reasons, granted sometimes I wonder why I didn't just say yes that day." Lindsay laughed as she pulled away to get a better look at Danny.

"So you think about it?" Danny smiled.

"Danny, how can I not, I love you, just that day, we hadn't even really gotten back on steady ground yet, and then the baby, and you were there, that threw me, I was so prepared for you to just leave."

"Why? Linds, why would you think that?" he asked grabbing her hands in his.

"Because it's easier. Easier to be prepared for the worst, at least then you can't be let down." She said still not looking at him.

"Linds, you know, I'm going to try my damndest not to let you down." He said ducking to meet her eyes in the soft light of the room. "I love you, and not just because of the baby, I think I've loved you for longer I just didn't know what it was. I mean I flew across the country for you, that's not just lust Linds."

"No Danny, I don't think it is." She smiled up at him, meeting his eyes again. "Have I ever thanked you for showing up that day?"

"I'm pretty sure the Bozeman Newspapers have evidence of you thanking me." Danny laughed as he kissed the tip of her nose. "Damn reporters."

"Danny, Lindsay. Get down here, Santa Came!" Maria called from downstairs.

"Guess that's our cue. Ready Linds?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

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Danny and Lindsay decended the stairs hand in hand. The living room was now lit mostly by the multicolored christmas tree and two small table lamps, giving the room a warm and Christmas-y glow. Danny sat down in the large oversyuffed armchair sitting in the bay window next to the tree. He then reached out and pulled Lindsay down to sit in his lap. She laughed for a second and then adjusted so she was sitting half on Danny, and half on the chair.

Maria walked into the dining room untying her aging apron that had to be at least 10 years old. "Ma, when are you going to replace that thing?" Danny asked as he watched her hang it over a dining room table before entering the living room.

"When you buy me a new one." She told her son simply. "How can I replace the last one you and Louie gave me with just any ordinary apron, the food wouldn't taste the same." She shook her head, "That is unless you want ordinary lasagna sent to you?"

"Nah Ma, that's fine, keep the old one." Danny laughed.

"The way to your heart boy is through your stomach." Sal laughed. "Hope you can cook Honey." He directed his joke towards Lindsay.

"I grew up on a farm, I can hold my own." She smirked back.

"I'd say she can." Danny said lightly smacking Lindsay's outter thighs and then rubbing them affectionately.

"Good, you were too gangly before she came along." Louie said as he sipped his coffee and took a seat in a chair he pulled in from the dining room.

"Presents!" Kyle shouted as he ran to the tree in a pair of footsie pjs. His mom following closely behind him.

"Kyle, come sit here with me, until Uncle Sal hands out the presents." Karen said as Kyle walked over to her and sat in her pretzel-crossed legs.

"Okay Mommy."

Sal passed out the presents. Kyle had a stack of about seven presents, one from each of the couples/individuals present, whereas everyone else had one or two. Everyone laughed and watched as Kyle tore into cars, and play tools, while he ignored the clothes. Every one else got things like wine, or sweaters, ties, and dvds. Danny and Lindsay had purposely saved their present to the Messer's for last, not even putting it under the tree.

Kyle had wandered over to show Danny and Lindsay his new police and fire cars Nick had gottne him, when Danny gave him the present wrapped in a shiney childlike frosty paper, and told him in a whisper to give it to Aunt Maria.

Kyle did as he was told, handing the present over to Maria and Sal sitting on the loveseat. "Uncle Danny said this was for you too." Kyle said as he handed it off, then crawled into his grandfathers lap in the recliner just to the left.

"Thank you Ky." Maria said as she glanced at Danny and Lindsay. Danny had sat up and now had his arms wrapped fully around his girlfriend, not rubbing her back or slung over her shoulder as it had been prior. He was excited to see his mother open this present. Glancing at the card it read _To Mom and Dad, _ _Love Danny and Lindsay._

Maria neatly tore the paper open with Sal looking over her shoulder. Inside was a Macy's clothing box. She pulled off the top and moved the red and white stripped tissue paper to find a black frame with _Grandchild_ written in a silver metal scrawl, it contained an ultrasound picture from 2 weeks prior. She let out a gasp as she looked at the picture, then handed it over to Sal so he could get a better look, she then pulled out a white apron that sat next to it in the box that read _Best Grandma._ Her eyes welled up as she and Sal both looked towards Danny and Lindsay.

"Danny, Lindsay, does this mean what I think it means?" Maria asked as Sal handed the picture back to his wife.

Danny let his arms drop to below Lindsay's rounding belly and pulled her tighter into him, an action that showed off that little baby bump they had been hiding all day.

"Well if it you're thinking you're gonna be a Grandma in a few months then yea." Danny smirked as he rubbed Lindsay's tummy. Lindsay blushed slightly then nodded her confirmation.

"You're gonna be a Grandma." Lindsay said as her face split into a thousand watt grin.

"Oh Sweetheart!" Maria cried as they rose from there seats. She pulled Lindsay into an affectionate hug, then held Lindsay's face in her hands. "You are what I always imagined my Danny would settle down with." She cried.

Sal had gone to Danny and pulled him into a tight embrace. "You make me proud son." Sal then moved over to Lindsay pulling her into a sweet father like hug and whispering in her ear. "Congrats Honey." They pulled apart to see Maria keeping Danny in the death grip of hugs. "Danny. I never thought I'd see the day." She said as she let go of her son who pulled his girlfriend into his side. "And now, now you're all grown up, becoming a Daddy."

"Yea Ma, I got pretty lucky with this one here." He said dropping a tender kiss to Lindsay's temple.

"What's going on?" Louie asked as he walked back into the room with Tony and Reda noticing the tears in his mother's eyes.

"You're going to be an uncle Lou." Danny smirked as his brother's jaw dropped to the floor.

"You've got to be kidding me." Louie said as he walked over to where the rest of the family was congratulating the couple. "You're honestly gonna have a kid?"

"Yea Lou, I'm gonna have a kid." He smiled as Lindsay wrapped her arms around Danny's waist.

"What Louie, don't believe it?" Lindsay asked with a kidding smile

"Nah I believe it, don't know how he landed you but, hey congrats." He said smacking Danny's shoulder and giving Lindsay a quick peck on the cheek. "Never thought I'd see the day my geeky little kid brother would become a Pops." Louie laughed as he watched his mother clear the fireplace mantle of some of the Christmas clutter so that she could set the sonogram picture right in the center. She turned around and smiled at Danny and Lindsay.

"So when's the wedding?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**__I own nothing, not a thing, if you wanted to sue me, you wouldn't, theres no money there.

**A/N:** I think this is it on Christmas, but I have a week more of winter break and no job, so boredom and CSI:NY dvds could result in post eps from old eps. =)

******************************************************************************"So when's the wedding" Maria asked as she turned around to face her son and his girlfriend.

"What wedding Ma?" Danny chuckled as he pulled Lindsay closer.

"What wedding, WHAT WEDDING." Maria shook her head sternly, "Are you telling me, that you are not going to marry this girl. I mean you get her pregnant and don't marry her, I raised you better than that."

"Maria, you did raise him better than that, it's just not the right time." Lindsay said trying to calm the storm of an argument that was all to certain to pour down.

"Not the right time, there is a baby on the way, and it's not the right time? How can you think this is okay. I raised you as a good catholic Danny. Now why won't you marry that girl." Maria demanded.

"It's not that ma."

"Then what is it Daniel." Maria swaid exasperated throwing her hands up in the air.

"It's just, we don't, I a."

"Spit it out already Daniel."

"Maria." Lindsay called the womans attention to her. "Danny did ask me to marry him, it's just, we weren't expecting this in any way, and we're scared to begin with, but I just, we can't add to it with marriage just yet."

"So he did ask?" Maria questioned Lindsay forgetting her son was even in the room.

"Yes he did, and I broke his poor little heart." Lindsay said looking dead in the woman's eyes to get her point across.

"Montana my heart ain't little, and it definitely isn't broken." Danny joked trying to lighten the mood. Lindsay let out a small little hiccup of a laugh.

"Ma, chances are we will get married, probably in the near future." Danny said as he slung his arm over Lindsay, "but we're going to get married because we want to not because we feel like we have to." Danny finished looking Lindsay in the eye, making sure he got it right. She had said she'd rather walk down the aisle then be pushed, so that's what was going to happen. Damn it the girl will be running down the aisle when the time finally comes.

"Maria, doll, let them be." Sal said coming up behind his wife and massaging her tense shoulders. "You're going to be a Grandma." He whispered. "it's a happy occasion."

Maria's frown softened and a small smile came to her face. "You're right Sal. I'm gonna be a Grandma." She said as she walked over to Danny and Lindsay and kissed them both, before laying a hand on the barely visable baby bump she now knew was there. "Old-timer catholic beliefs need to be beaten out of me." Maria laughed, Lindsay placed her hand ontop of Maria's and looked into her eyes.

"Maria.." Lindsay started but was swiftly cut off.

"Mom, Lindsay call my mom or ma now, you are family." Maria smiled.

"Alright, Mom, believe me when I say, not marrying your son is not an option, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

"Seriously Linds?" Danny asked. Tearing Lindsay's eyes away from his mothers.

"Yea Dan seriously, the doubts I was having before, they are pretty much gone."

"So if I was to ask you again."

"Pick the right moment and not after a medical quiz and me not being able to eat the bagel I'd been craving." Lindsay laughed.

"Yea yea, you laughed."

"You caught me off guard."

"So it was a pity laugh."

"You weren't being funny, you were being cute, and seriously." Lindsay laughed.

"Ma, I have proposed to this girl twice." Danny laughed as he explained to his mother his eyes not leaving Lindsay's. "The first time she rolled her eyes at me."

"We weren't even dating yet." Lindsay laughed

"And the second, well that one she thought I was joking too."

"Well then you didn't do it right." Maria laughed as her son finished his story.

"ouch Ma, really."

"Dan, I like this girl, next time you ask her to marry you like you mean it." She said whacking him upside the head. Before heading back through the dining room to the kitchen to get desert ready. This time Lindsay looked at Danny and just started laughing, almost histerically.

"How the hell can your father turn her mood like that?" Lindsay asked as she finally caught her breath again.

"I don't know Linds, but its trait I think I need to aquire."

"Oh, and why's that?" Lindsay asked sobering up and placing her hands on her hips in a mock angry position.

"So that I can pacify my mother, as well as you with those crazy hormones I know are gonna hit soon." Danny smirked as he reached out and with one arm pulled her to his chest and kissed her like he hadn't kissed her in days. Lindsay tensed at first but eased into it, the rest of the world fading away.

"Ewwe." Was heard a few minutes later causing Danny and Lindsay to pull apart. Kyle was standing a few feet away watching them. "Uncle Danny, I hope you gots your cootie shot." He siad in his most doctor like kid tone.

"No need, buddy, I outgrew cooties." Danny said proudly.

"Okay." Kyle nodded. "But Aunt Maria told me to tell you that desert is ready." He said as he bounced off.

"Linds, you haven't really eaten until you've tried my ma's tiramisu." Danny said as he placed a hand on the small of her back and led her into the busy kitchen.

"Nice of you two to unlock lips and join us." Reda said as she bit into an overfrosted cookie.

"Thank you Aunt Reda, and by the way you have frosting on your lip." Danny smirked as her handed Lindsay a plate, sat down, and pulled her onto his lap where they proceeded to share the most amazing cake known to mankind.

"Well aren't you cute." Annette observed as Danny and Lindsay's forks battled over the last piece of cake on their shared plate. Danny looked up at his aunt.

"Cute?"

"Yea cute as in your girlfriend just ate the last bit of your cake." She laughed as Lindsay placed the remaining bite into her mouth with a smile.

"What?" Danyy question as he looked down at the plate then at Lindsay.

"You little…" Danny started but was cut off by Lindsay smeared an icing covered finger across his mouth and nose.

"See you still got some." Lindsay laughed

"Wiseass." He replied as he tickled her sides.

"Dan, Danny." She pleaded threough giggles as Danny tickled. "alright, UNCLE." Lindsay finally gasped out. "Geeze, want to take tiramisu away from your own kid, that's low Messer."

"Nah, just his mother." Danny joked as he pecked Lindsay on the lips thus transfering frosting.

"at the moment, it's the same difference Dan."

"Wait did I just hear he?" Maria asked as her ears perked up.

"Yea ma, but we honestly don't know, two weeks ago it was a she." He shrugged.

"Yea that freaked ya out a bit." Lindsay chuckled

"Did not."

"Did too, I could hear it in your voice."

"Cell phone reception will do that to a voice."

"Whatever you say." Lindsay said rolling her eyes causing the family watching the interaction to laugh.

"Either way, you are gonna have your hands full boy." Sal told his son. "I remember your Grams after babysitting cursing you with children just as awful as you." He laughed.

"Oh good lord we're gonna have to bubble wrap every possible surface aren't we?" Lindsay jokingly exclaimed.

"Yea, yea whatever Montana. From what I've heard you were just as bad, Sling shots, buck kniefs, oh don't forget the football."

"So your kid is gonna be a terror." Louie summarized. "I'm not watching that kid alone." He shook his head, then sipped his coffee. "no way in hell."

"Aw, it won't be that bad, my Danny was an angel." Maria said as she placed a kiss to the top of Danny's head. "And this one. Lindsay is too sweet." She said placing a kiss on Lindsay's cheek. "That child will be perfect." She declared as she started to tidy.

"Danny an angel." Sal Messer laughed. "did we raise the same boys? I remember broken windows, limbs, and a lot of complaining neighbors." He laughed

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Danny and Lindsay packed up to head home. It had continued to snow all day, for that the car was covered and cold. After about 20 minutes of warming up the SUV and 10 minutes of goodbyes and promises to come back soon, and take care of that baby. They were out the door and in a toasty car with heated seats, thanking god that they had an SUV that could make it through the snowy New York streets.

They waved goodbye as they pulled out of the drive and then they were gone. Lindsay let out a long relaxed sigh as she sunk into the seat.

"That wasn't too bad now was it Linds?" he said as he glanced in her direction as they reached a stop sign.

"No not at all. I like your family."

"What loud, bickering, teasing Italians? Seriously?"

"I fell for you didn't I?"

"Nice Monroe, real nice."

"Your family rubbed off on me a little today."

"If you say so sweetheart."

"Your mom seemed happy at the end of the night."

"Yea after assuring we'd get married sooner or later." Danny laughed. "Were you serious, that it was only a matter of when?"

"Yea Dan, I think I was." Lindsay said looking at him as he manuvered his way onto the highway. "I love you. A lot."

"But, it's not you it's me." Danny smirked he was joking, but then again not entirely.

"Danny. Honestly?"

"What? You were the one who stood me up." He joked.

"Yea, and you knocked me up, are we even yet?"

"I guess we can call it even if you really wanted to."

"Good, so no guilt."

"Linds, was there ever guilt? I was worried about you."

"Okay, new topic please, this is getting depressing."

"haha okay Linds, but only because I love ya." He said kissing her hand he had been holding across the center concil.

"Ya know next year there will be three of us." Lindsay grinned.

"Yea I suppose there will be." Danny smirked back as he dropped Lindsay's hand and instead placed his on Lindsay's stomach that housed their baby.

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30 minutes later they arrived at Lindsay's christmas tree lit one bedroom apartment. "I seriously need to get started on finding a new apartment." Lindsay said as she looked around at the slight mess from the morning as Danny locked up.

"Why's that Linds?"

"Honestly Danny, how am I gonna fit a baby in here? There's barely room for me." She asked as she tidied up.

"Yea, I was wondering, what's gonna happen there?" Danny asked as he sat down onher sofa.

"What do you mean?" Lindsay inquired as she cuddled in next to him.

"I mean, once this baby comes, how are we, I mean what's the, oh I don't know I was just talking to Adam the other day and."

"Good stories always start with I was talking to Adam the other day." Lindsay kidded

"Yea I know, but the guy knows his stuff, anyway, what I'm trying to say is should we…should _**WE**_ look for an apartment together?"

"As in live together?"

"Yea, I mean, its practical right, we're only buying one of everything, and its less suffling, and I love you Linds."

"and we're always together anyway, and the baby will have one of us around more often, and I love you too Dan, and I've been thinking about it too."

"So yes?" Danny asked hoping with all that he had.

"Yea." Lindsay nodded and kissed Danny soundly on the lips. "God, this makes everything feel more real."

"Yea, yea I guess it does, I mean the team knows, my folks know, yours we have to call. What?" Danny questioned as he saw a look of mischieviness pass Lindsay's face followed by a look of innocence. "What did you do?" he asked in his best father to be voice.

"I sent them a christmas card with a loooooong drawn out letter and a copy of the sonogram, and that blinking light." She said as she pointed to the answering machine "Is probably them."

"Lindsay," Danny sighed,

"No Danny, if we just told them on the phone than there would be a lot of shouting, and probably a hang up or two or three, and I just felt this way they had to read what I had to say and wrap their heads around it."

"They are going to hate me." Danny said shaking his head but laughing all the same. "Nah, my Dad already thinks you're a pretty decent guy just for coming out to Montana for the trial." She winked as she used Danny's leg to get up. She quickly pressed the play button on the machine.

_**BEEP** LINDSAY ANNE MONROE. _Her mothers voice broke the silence of the room _What's this about you being pregnant and you not calling telling us, two months ago when you found out! Just a little sick, that's what you told me. But wait no you go off and tell me you couldn't tell anyone until you told Danny. Who's Danny! I've never met him, no matter what your father says that he sounds like a nice guy, I don't know him, and now I'm gonna have a grandchild by him, that boy better have some good genes. And you're not getting married. What are you thinking the man asks you say yes. Do you want to end up like your aunt. All alone at 50? Lindsay what are you thinking. Call us back and Merry Christmas, but Lindsay what are you thinking. **BEEP**_

"Got to love mothers" Lindsay sighed

"Eh, about the same as we heard from my ma." Danny shrugged,

**_BEEP** Pumpkin, finally got that picture and letter away from your mother, and I'm sure she called you while I read and reread that letter. Congratulations Honey. You'll make a wonderful mother, you take after my side more than your mothers anyway. Ignore your mother Linds, she's just shocked, figured your brother would be having a kid before you, but aonther munchkin is always welcome I'll talk some sense into her. As for not getting married, good for you. I know I'm suppose to be the traditional Pops out here, but do what's right for you, just like leaving this tundra, you know what's right for you. I said it when I saw that picture in the paper, and I'll say it again pumpkin, that man is gonna have your whole heart in no time, guess I was right. Have a good Christmas eve, and give us a call. Love ya. **BEEP**_

"So I don't have to worry about shot guns." Danny laughed as he pulled Lindsay into his side.

"Nope, my Dad has always sided with me, he gave me the push to come out here."

"Well I'm glad for that." He said as he kissed her temple, "He really told ya you'd fall that hard for me?"

"Yea, I had just gotten off the phone with you after you landed back in New York, and the paper had just come and, well, he saw a wedding happening."

"It will in time."

"Yea yea, do we call them back tonight, or tomorrow?"

"Well it's only 8pm back there." Danny said consulting his watch.

"Yea, they're still up." Lindsay said as she grabbed the hand set and dialed her childhood home. It rang once, twice, then was answered by a strong deep voice.

'_Hello.'_

'Hey Daddy.'

'_Hey pumpkin, how you feeling?'_

'I'm good, we're good.'

'_That is great sweetheart, how was your christmas eve?'_

'Good, we a, we went to Staten Island and told Danny's family tonight.'

'_That sounds fun, your mother is going to have a fit she didn't get the news in person'_ Danny chuckled at that. Lindsay had put them on speaker phone.

'I know, but we gave up vacation time to save a friends job, so we're in New York for the time being."

'_We're is Danny there with you now honey?'_

'Yea I am, hello sir.' Danny said as he sat down next to Lindsay and handed her a cup of which he had just made.

'_What's this sir? It's Doug or Dad.'_

'Alright Doug.'

'_You taking care of my baby girl?'_

'as best as she'll let me.'

'_That I understand, my Lindsay Miss independent,'_

'Dad!'

'_What Linds it's true. Now hang on a second, I'm gonna grab your mom.'_

'_Lindsay honey, what are you thinking?'_

'Well hello to you too ma.'

'_Honey, a baby, in New York, on your own.'_

'I'm not alone mom.'

'_Oh really where is this Danny?'_

'right here.' Danny stated, 'Hello."

'_You knock up my duaghter and then you take no for an answer, and who are you!?'_

'_Amy, honey, this is DANNY, as in the coworker.'_

'_That doesn't explain anything. Who are you,'_

'What mom do you want a physical description, I'm pretty sure you saw the picture.' Danny laughed.

'Linds is that like an infamous picture?'

'Yea Dan it is.'

'Okay, well I'm italian was raised on Staten Island, played baseball in the minors for a bit before joining the police academy, and have been at the crime lab for about 7 years now. And your daughter has assured me and my mother today that a wedding is probably immenent, its just about timing.'

'_That sounds like my stuborn daughter.'_

'Mom, be happy, we're together, we're in love, we will be living together shortly, and you are going to be a grandma again.'

'_See honey, I told ya, Lindsay would be fine. She's more settled there than she ever was out here, and now she's in love, and going to be a mommy.'_

'_Doug, stop with the I told you so.'_

'Ma, I told you so.' Lindsay laughed as her father continued to work her mother down from the anxioty that took over when she learned her youngest wrote her she was pregnant.

They hung up when her brother and his kids were ready to open presents and sat in campanionable silence for a short while.

"Linds, what is it with mothers and worrying?" Danny finally asked.

"I don't know Danny, but I hope to god I don't get as bad as my mother." She replied as she let out a yawn.

"Aright, I get the hint Linds." Danny said as he scooped Lindsay up. "Time for bed." He walked them down the short hall to her bedroom and set her down on the bed. A few minutes later they both crawled under the crisp cool comforter. Danny spooned up behind Lindsay and looking out onto the Queens street.

The world was quiet, and white. They fell asleep to dreams of their future together, a decorated apartment at christmas, toys scattered everywhere, a baby just becoming mobile on four limbs, and Santa Clause coming to visit. A happy family. That was the future, their future.

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Thank you all for reading…My first story comes to a close…reviews are always loved…happy holidays (even if it is January 5th ) =/


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